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Imagine huddling all of your business associates around an iPhone for an important video presentation -- not exactly professional, or comfortable. But you can turn the iPhone into a large-screen presentation tool fit for groups just by connecting it to a TV. All you need for basic video is a special composite AV cable. Using the TV-out feature built into the 30-pin dock connector on the bottom of the iPhone handset, you can view anything that appears on the device, including videos you've created or downloaded from iTunes. Apple's Composite AV Cable connects to your TV through its three phono connectors and is compatible with all versions of the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

1. Connect the composite cable ends to the composite input jacks on your TV. Match the yellow plug to the yellow socket on the TV for video, and the red and white plugs to the red and white sockets for stereo sound.

2. Plug the cable's 30-pin Apple connector into the bottom of the iPhone handset. The iPhone automatically detects the type of cable that's connected and activates its TV-out mode.

3. Turn the TV on and press its "Input" button to select the composite input. Look in the TV's manual if you can't find how to change the input to composite. A duplicate image of the iPhone's screen displays.

4. Tap the "Videos" app -- or any other video playback application you favor -- on the iPhone's home screen.

5. Tap a video's thumbnail image to begin playback on your TV. Use the playback controls on the iPhone's screen to control the video.

Things Needed

IPhone composite audio/video cable

Tips

You can use third-party cables that are designed to fit the iPhone, but Apple doesn't guarantee they'll work.

With the composite hookup, you can also watch YouTube videos on your TV as they are streamed to your iPhone via the native YouTube app.

Use an iPhone composite cable to display your iPhone's photos on your TV.

Apple's Component AV Cable, and similar third-party cables, are also available for the iPhone and connect to the component input on your TV in the same way as a composite cable. The component input provides a clearer image on the TV but is often unavailable on older sets.

About the Author

Spanner Spencer has been writing since 2005 for a variety of print and online publications. Focusing on entertainment, gaming and technology, his work has been published by Eurogamer.net, "The Escapist," "GamesTM," "Retro Gamer," "Empire," "Total PC Gaming" "The Guardian," among others. Spencer is a qualified medical electronics engineer with a Business and Technology Education Council certificate in technical writing from Huddersfield Technical College.